Why
by Vanus Empty
Summary: [Zack&Cloud] “We're friends, right?”


A rough story that'll probably be taken down and revised as soon as I'm not sick of looking at it. Chances are, it'll be disected and slapped into _Project 365_ in a couple parts.

It sucks, actually, that I had to play the game just to get the script for this scene. Fucking side quests. Though, it strikes me now that I could have just went to Youtube to grab the scene. Hm.

* * *

Zack shuffled his feet, frowning down at the catatonic MP. They needed to get out of the basement before someone came to check on why their "keeper" hadn't returned from feeding them. With a great sigh, he ran his fingers through his dark hair. "We gotta do somethin' about your clothes." Looking around the room, he spotted a spare First Class SOLDIER uniform. "Oh!" Walking over to it, he snatched it up and handed it to Cloud. "Put this one," he told him, kneeling down in front of Cloud. 

Pain stabbed his heart as Cloud just stared blankly at the clothing. He smiled tightly. Carefully, he helped Cloud remove his blue MP uniform and switched it with the purpleish First Class one. "It smells a little, though," Zack said, shoving Cloud's right arm through the sleeve, "so don't complain." Standing up, he admired the blond. "You look pretty good with that."

Pulling Cloud to his feet, Zack swung an arm around Cloud's shoulders to help him walk, more or less dragging him, really. "Well..."

* * *

Passing through the wasteland outside of Midgar, Zack paced impatiently in the back of the old pick up truck. Cloud fought to keep his head up, only to fail and to fall back to his chest. He sighed and walked over to the cabin, punching the metal roof. "Yo! Old guy!" He yelled, fighting to let his voice be heard over the rushing winds. "We at Midgar yet?" He asked. 

Through the window, Zack watched with mild amusement as the man looked at him through the rear view mirror with a bitter look on his face. "Shaddap! You're lucky I even gave you a ride!"

Shaking his head in defeat, he watched the passing scenery for a second or two before returning to Cloud's side. He gave the younger boy a small smile. "What're you gonna do once we get to Midgar?" He asked him, not really expecting any sort of response from the previously unresponsive Cloud.

Cloud, having given up trying to lift his head, just stared blankly down at his lap. Silence.

Zack watched him for a moment. Whatever the hell Hojo did to them, Cloud was clearly too weak to have handled it as he himself did. No matter. Soon as they got to Midgar, he'd go to Aerith's and have her help. She probably knew what to do. Standing, he walked over to the side of the truck and stared out at the desert-like surroundings. Several seconds passed before he nodded to himself. "I know what I'm gonna do," he said, crossing his arms. "I got a place I can crash for a while..." He dropped his arms down to his sides again.

Turning to Cloud, he sighed. "No, wait... The mother lives there, too..." He laughed, rubbing the back of his head. There went his plan. "Guess that's out..." He sighed, shaking his head. Violet-blue eyes turned to Cloud. Still unresponsive. Even with proper medical treatment, would he ever...?

Snapping himself out of pessimistic thoughts with a fierce shake of the head, he said, "Yep... gotta change my plans!" Walking to the corner of the truck, he placed his hands on his hips and frowned. "Hmm... No matter what I do, I need some money first..." Which was true. Fucking Hojo and his boys took all of his stuff. Only his uniform and the Buster Sword were left. He turned to Cloud again as a thought crossed his mind. "...Hey, wanna start a business?" A pause. "But, what could we do?" Folding his arms, he leaned his forehead against the knuckles of his hands. _Well, you got fighting... _"Hey, Cloud? Think there's anything I'd be good at?"

When he got no response from Cloud, he sighed and turned towards the front of the truck. "Hey, old guy!" He called. "What do you think I'd be good at?"

Rolling his eyes, the man peered up at Zack from the mirror. "What're you yappin' about?" He asked, scowling at him. "You're still young, ain't ya? Young folks should try everything!" He returned his gaze to the road. Wouldn't wanna hit something and got stuck with these loonies, now, would he? "You gotta pay your dues while you're young," he said. "Go out and look for what you really want."

Grumbling to himself, Zack turned away from him. "Try everything..." He sighed. "That's easy for him to say..." _He _didn't have all of Shinra out on his ass. Bending his knees and standing back up several times, he proceeded to walk the length of the truck and repeat his exercise slash thought process. Once he got back to his original position, he yelled, "Hey!" Turning back to Cloud, he grinned down at him. "Of course! I got a lot of brains and skill that other guys don't!" Of course he did. He was Zack Fair. "That settles it!"

Grinning, he nodded his head. "I'm gonna become a mercenary!" He declared, turning back to the man. "Yeah! Thanks, pops!"

From within the cabin, he heard the man say, "Hey... didn't you even hear a word I said?"

Ignoring it, he turned back to Cloud. Nothing, not even the catatonic state of his best friend could bring him down. "Listen," he said, "I'm gonna become a mercenary and that's that," he told both Cloud and the man all at once. "Boring stuff, dangerous stuff... Anything for money. I'm gonna be rich!" He leaned against the cabin, smirking at his plan.

At the same time the man groaned, "No, wait... you got it all wrong," which went completely ignored, he asked Cloud, "So, Cloud? What are _you_ gonna do?"

Cloud's fingers curled slightly into fists, clenching at the fabric of his new uniform. "U... uhhh..." He said, turning his head ever so slightly towards Zack.

Elated that there was some progress, Zack rubbed his forehead, smiling down at Cloud. "Just kidding," he said. "I won't leave you hanging like that." Taking two steps towards Cloud, he sat down on the floor. He leaned over and swallowed. "...We're friends, right?" He pressed his forehead against Cloud's shoulder, biting his lip. "Mercenaries, Cloud," he said. "That's what you an' me are gonna be." Nodding once, he stood. "Understand, Cloud?"

* * *

_"Cloud, run!"_

* * *

Limping, a bullet in his thigh, Zack held on tightly to Cloud as he led him away from the wreck. Was the old man okay?_ Oh, well. Can't worry about him now. Gotta make sure Cloud's okay,_ Zack thought, tightening his grip on the young boy. 

The sound of gunfire ripped him from his thoughts. _Ah, shit, _he thought slash swore, setting Cloud down gently onto the ground before he ran head first into the barrage of bullets with the Buster Sword held high, expertly dodging many of them. He brought down one of them with a fierce swing of his sword. Two more aimed guns and fired.

As he fought the crap-ass soldiers, he watched as the bullets crept too close to Cloud for comfort. With one last swing of the Buster Sword, he rushed back to Cloud, strapping the sword back onto his back as he knelt in front of Cloud. He looked him over, making sure that there was no bullet wounds on him. Breathing a sigh of relief, he smiled.

A gun fired, the bullet striking him in the chest. He gasped as he fell backwards, landing several feet away from Cloud with the force of the blast. He stared wide eyed up at the darkening sky, pain racing through him. He fought to breathe, but, figured the bullet must have pierced his lung from the effort it took to breathe. _Shitshitshit..._

He gazed hatefully up at the commander and the two soldiers who surrounded him. One soldier pulled the trigger on his automatic rifle, sending several more bullets into his chest. He choked back the scream of pain, blood in his mouth and pain stealing his voice. Seeing that he wasn't dead yet—_the hell do you figure, you idiots, I'm a First Class SOLDIER_! Zack thought bitterly—the soldier pulled the trigger again.

As he body arched upwards, he choked on his blood. This was it? To make it this far, to suffer so much goddamn pain, only to die by the hands of these fools? Feeling his body failing, Zack's head rolled to the side, his eyes turning lifeless as he gazed at the limp form of Cloud.

_Sorry... Cloud._

* * *

Seeing that his job was done, the Soldier turned towards the other man. Cloud Strife, if he remembered. _Thought he was an MP,_ he thought, tightening his hold on the gun. _He's wearing a First Class uniform. Oh, well._ He turned to his commander. "What do you want to do with him?" He asked, gesturing to Cloud with his rifle. 

"...Ah... ughhh..." Cloud groaned, nails digging into the dirt as he tried to push himself to a sitting position, only to fail and fall back to the ground.

The commander walked over to Cloud, staring down at him with a curious look on his face. Pity? He sighed. "Forget it," he said. "Just leave him."

The two soldiers and their commander turned and walked away, leaving Cloud as the sky finally opened, drenching the fallen soldiers.

* * *

Cloud groaned, pushing against the ground with off of his strength. Once he got up enough to support himself on his elbows, he gripped at the compacted dirt and grass as he crawled over to Zack's rapidly cooling body. Dirt and blood—his? Zack's?—coated the cheek that had pressed against the ground. He knelt beside Zack, taking the Buster Sword by the hilt. He stared at it, then to Zack. Back again, and back again. As realization washed over him like icy water, Cloud drew in a horrified breath, eyes widening to the point of impossibility. 

And he screamed.


End file.
